Cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism

ABSTRACT

A cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism which can be synchronously driven along by the opening and closing operation of the top cover of the cabinet body to complete the locking and unlocking state of cabinet drawers, including a sliding seat, an engaging body having an engaging hole and an elastic element, when the top cover is pressed on the engaging body, an anchoring hole of the engaging body will press against the elastic element causing it to bend and store elasticity, the engaging hole will be moved downwards to engage with the locking element so as to complete the locking state of the drawer, when the top cover is opened, the depressing force of the engaging body is released, the restored elasticity of the elastic element is released and carries the engaging body and the engaging hole to move upwards back to its original position, thus unlocked the drawer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cabinet drawer drivingly connectedlocking mechanism and, more particularly, to a locking mechanism thatcan be synchronously driven along by the opening and closing operationof the top cover of the cabinet body to complete the locking andunlocking state of cabinet drawers

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In order to facilitate users to classify and reorganize the tools athome, there exists a so-called tool cabinet. Most existing tool cabinetcomprises a body equipped by four sidewalls between four corner pods,one top cover and one base. The top of the body is an open end that canbe opened or closed by the top cover. The interior of the cabinet bodycan install some partitions, the partitions and the top cover formed acompartment for storing tiny tools. And at least one sidewall having anopen end which allows a sliding drawer to be horizontally inserted intothe cabinet body. Since the cabinet may be moved about as a unitary unitto the most convenient position relative to the operation place, thecabinet usually has a drawer locking mechanism in order to avoid thedrawers from dropping out of the cabinet during transportation.

Conventional drawer locking mechanism secures the drawers one by one,such as shown in the R.O.C Patent Publication No. 137421 and No. 313187.But a user has to use the tools inside the cabinet right after thecabinet is being transported, it will be time-consuming and inconvenientfor the user to lock the drawers one by one before transporting thecabinet. Therefore, a drivingly connected locking device for cabinetdrawers is needed, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,848, U.S. Pat.No. 6,572,203, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,854, each patent discloses alocking device having a slide seat disposed in the case body, anengaging body is vertically slidably fitted in the slide seat, a latchplate disposed on each drawer and the engaging body is formed withseveral engaging holes corresponding to the latch plates of the drawers.By the use of a driving section (such as the link design in U.S. Pat.No. 6,347,848) to depress the engaging body causing the engaging holesand the latch plates to form a drawer locked state. And it is emphasizedin the above patents that in case one of the drawers is not totallypushed in and is not locked, a user only needs to further push thedrawer inward. At this time, the engaging body will move upward and thenmove down to lock the drawer.

However, the above locking mechanism is quite difficult to assemble andthe exertion of the second driving force is acceptable but veryinconvenient. Mainly because when a user further pushes the engagingbody upwards, the other locked drawers will be unlocked at the same timeand causing the original unlocked drawers to drop out. Furthermore, FIG.5 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,203 is the only patent that discloses thedriving section of the cabinet drawer locking device can be a coverboard. All the other patents are using additional key unit to rotate thelink design manually for locking and unlock the drawer which is veryinconvenient. In FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,203 discloses a shiftingsection used to pivotally connect a cover board and an engaging body,but the engaging body includes a first slide section and a second slidesection. This will not only causing inconveniency to actual operationand assembly, the shifting section will also damage the cover boardeasily which affect the overall aesthetic appealing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the present invention is to provide a cabinetdrawer drivingly connected locking mechanism that can lock all thedrawers at one time. And the locking and unlock state of the cabinetdrawers can both be controlled by the opening and closing operation ofthe top cover of the cabinet.

In order to achieve the foregoing objects, the locking mechanism of thepresent invention comprises a sliding seat, an engaging body having anengaging hole and an elastic element that is connected to a partitionand an anchoring hole of the engaging body. When the cabinet is closedby the depression of the top cover, the top cover will press on theengaging body and the anchoring hole of the engaging body will alsopress against the elastic element causing it to store elasticity. Theengaging hole will be moved downwards, causing the locking element ofthe drawer to be secured within the engaging hole, thus complete thelocking state of the drawer. When the top cover is opened, thedepressing force of the engaging body is released, the restored energyof the elastic element within the engaging hole is also released andcarries the engaging body and the anchoring hole to move upwards to itsoriginal position.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages ofthe invention will be more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the locking mechanism of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are perspective views showing that the drawers in alocking state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, showing a perspective view of a preferredembodiment of the present invention and an exploded view of the lockingmechanism. A cabinet body 10 includes an upper open side 101 and alateral open side 102, a top cover 11 is arranged on the upper open side101, and at least one partition 12 is arranged in the cabinet body 10defining at least one compartment 103. At least one drawable andslidable drawer 20 is arranged in the lateral open side 102. At leastone locking element 21 is disposed on each drawer 20 at the side whichis corresponding to the inside edge of the lateral open side 102 whenthe drawer is drawn in. At least one locking mechanism includes asliding seat 13 which is fixedly arranged in the cabinet body 10correspondingly located at the opening and closing driving position ofthe top cover 11. A engaging body 14 located on the sliding seat 13, theengaging body 14 can be driven by the opening and closing operation ofthe top cover 11 to move vertically along the sliding seat 13. Theengaging body 14 includes a engaging hole 141 corresponding to thelocking element 21 of the drawer 20, and an anchoring hole 142. Anelastic element 15 having one end secured by the anchoring hole 142 andthe other end connected to the partition 12. Wherein, one end of theabove locking element 21 corresponding to the engaging hole 141 is benttowards the drawer 20 in an acute inclination angle to form a engagingend 211. Such inclination angle of the engaging end 211 has to allow thelocking element 21 and the engaging end 211 to freely get into and outof the engaging hole 141 when the drawer 20 is at an unlocked state. Onthe other hand, when the drawer 20 is at a locked state, the engagingend 211 cannot freely get into and out of the engaging hole 141.

Please refer to FIG. 3A, when the top cover 11 is at an open statecorresponding to the cabinet body 10, the drawer 20 then can be slidhorizontally into the cabinet body 10 through the lateral open side 102.And referring to FIG. 3B, when a user finishes using the tools insidethe drawer 20, or when a user needs to transport the cabinet body 10 toanother place. The user can just push the drawer 20 into the cabinetbody 10, allowing the locking element 21 at the back of the drawer 20 togo inside the engaging hole 141, and the inclined engaging end 211 atthe edge of the locking element 21 will go behind the engaging hole 141.As shown in FIG. 3C, when a user closes the top cover 11, since there isan additional protecting cap 143 located at the top of the engaging body14, thus protecting the top cover 11 from being damaged by the engagingbody 14 when the top cover 11 pressed on the engaging body 14. A cover16 is also decorated at those sections of both the engaging body 14 andthe sliding seat 13 which are exposed between the partition 12 and thetop cover 11.

When the top cover 11 is pressed on the engaging body 14, the anchoringhole 142 of the engaging body 14 will press against the elastic element15 causing it to bend and store elasticity. The engaging hole 141 willthen be moved downwards, causing the engaging end 211 of the lockingelement 20 to be blocked behind the engaging body 14 and engaged withinthe engaging hole 141. This completes the locking state of the drawer 20and the drawer 20 cannot get freely into and out of the lateral openside 102 at this moment. When the top cover 11 is opened, the depressingforce of the engaging body 14 is released, the restored elasticity ofthe elastic element 15 is released and carries the engaging body 14 andthe engaging hole 141 to move upwards back to its original position. Itis worthwhile to mention that the present invention only need toconstruct an anchoring hole 142 on the engaging body 14, and also toassemble an elastic element 15 connecting the partition 12 and theengaging body 14. Therefore, the overall components and assembly issimpler and more convenient than those conventional locking devices. Andthe top cover 11 of the present invention is drivingly connected to thelocking mechanism of the drawer 20, that is, the locking mechanism canbe synchronously driven along by the opening and closing operation ofthe top cover 11 of the cabinet body 10 to complete the locking andunlocking state of cabinet drawers 20, thus providing easier operation.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is not used to limit the invention. It is to beunderstood that many other possible modifications and variations can bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism, characterizedin: a cabinet body having an upper open side and a lateral open side, atop cover arranged on the upper open side, at least one partitionarranged in the cabinet body to form at least one compartment, at leastone drawable and slidable drawer arranged in the lateral open side, andat least one locking element disposed on each drawer at the side whichis corresponding to the inside edge of the lateral open side when thedrawer is drawn in; at least one locking mechanism having a sliding seatwhich is fixedly arranged in the cabinet body correspondingly located atthe opening and closing driving position of the top cover, an engagingbody located on the sliding seat, wherein the engaging body can bedriven by the opening and closing operation of the top cover to movevertically along the sliding seat and the engaging body includes anengaging hole corresponding to the locking element of the drawer, ananchoring hole, and an elastic element having one end secured by theanchoring hole and the other end connected to the partition; and whenthe top cover is pressed on the engaging body, the anchoring hole of theengaging body will press against the elastic element causing it to bendand store elasticity, the engaging hole will then be moved downwards toengage with the locking element so as to complete the locking state ofthe drawer, when the top cover is opened, the depressing force of theengaging body is released, the restored elasticity of the elasticelement is released and carries the engaging body and the engaging holeto move upwards back to its original position, thus unlocked the drawer.2. The cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism according toclaim 1, wherein the top of the engaging body has a protecting cap. 3.The cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism according toclaim 1, wherein one end of the locking element corresponding to theengaging hole is bent towards the drawer in an inclination angle to forman engaging end, such inclination angle of the engaging end has to allowthe locking element and the engaging end to freely get into and out ofthe engaging hole when the drawer is at an unlocked state and when thedrawer is at a locked state, the engaging end cannot freely get into andout of the engaging hole.
 4. The cabinet drawer drivingly connectedlocking mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the inclination angle ofthe engaging end is an acute angle.